How to Save IT from Wireless Help Desk Nightmares

The critical need for corporate wireless help desk services to support thousands of mobile devices is placing a tremendous burden on the IT department. This can be detrimental for companies struggling to provide quality wireless help desk service internally, as they often lack enough personnel who are skilled in using advanced mobile device management and remote troubleshooting tools. Here, Knowledge Center contributor John Shea shares five reasons companies should outsource their corporate wireless help desk services.

It isn't surprising that
IT professionals are expected to wear different hats for various IT issues and
responsibilities. But the truth is, many end up fielding incessant calls to
address employees' wireless device and plan complaints or other time-consuming
requests. These user requests can easily eat up 70 to 90 percent of an IT
professional's workday.

With the explosive growth in
mobile devices, and along with it the increased need for support services, the
IT team is trying to manage a critical area without specific wireless
expertise. Their other assigned job responsibilities are eclipsed by activities
such as trying to stay up to speed on the latest mobile devices, platforms and
plans. As a result, the IT department operates inefficiently and becomes
distracted from larger, strategic company issues. Meanwhile, IT staff
frantically tries to keep up with one-off requests.
Outsourcing wireless help desk
services is one way to ease the burden on IT. Here are five reasons that this
best practice strategy works.
Reason No. 1: The complete package

An outsourced wireless help desk can work in tandem with a
wireless expense management (WEM) solution to handle all steps of the corporate
mobility life cycle and eliminate piecemeal service for an employee base. This
includes offering a self-service wireless portal that addresses employees'
needs from their initial device request (making sure their selected phone is
approved for their role) to helping them choose a rate plan that aligns with
the company's carrier volume discounts. The portal is integrated with the
company's WEM solution to ensure that all new data and updates are centrally
captured and tracked for reporting.
Wireless help desks also handle ad hoc troubleshooting,
resolve repair and warranty issues, and ensure that security measures are
taken. For example, they can issue an over-the-air (OTA) remote kill to a
device if the device is lost or stolen, and provide integrated Mobile Device
Management (MDM) capabilities. Additionally, mobile device recycling with a
no-landfill policy is also available for securely wiping devices.

John Shea is Chief Marketing Officer at Rivermine. John brings over 17 years of high technology experience to Rivermine. Prior to Rivermine, John served as vice president of product marketing, management and corporate strategy for Nuance. John joined Nuance during its early stages in 1998 and helped ramp the company from four customers to over 1,000 during his six-year tenure. He was also heavily involved in Nuance's initial public offering, which resulted in a market valuation of over $5 billion. Earlier in his career, John was a member of the initial Intel Pentium Processor marketing team that helped ramp product shipments from zero to over 10 million units per quarter in two years. He has also held marketing and technical positions at OnLive Technologies and Booz, Allen & Hamilton. John holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's degree in Business Administration and Management from NorthWestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He can be reached at info@rivermine.com.